"He wanted him to go into Parliament," said Warde.
John nodded.
"It was a disappointment. Yes; a great disappointment. Harry would have made a debater. Yes; yes; a nimble wit, an engaging manner, and the gift of the gab. And the father would have had him under his own eye."
"But he wanted to go to South Africa from the beginning."
"You wanted to go," said Warde; "your uncle told me so. It was a greater thing for you, John, to stand aside."
And then John put a question. "Do you think that Harry ought to have stood aside too?"
Warde, however, unwilling to commit himself, spoke of Harry's ardour and patriotism. But at the end he let fall a straw which indicated the true current of his thoughts—
"Mr. Desmond is very lonely."
John swooped on this.
"Then you think, you do think, that Harry should have stayed behind?"